The US oil and gas industry experienced a substantial rise in mergers and acquisitions during the second quarter, according to a quarterly report by PwC US Energy Practice.During the 3-month period ending June 30, 54 oil and gas deals took place with values greater than $50 million, accounting for $42.2 billion, compared with 47 deals worth $30.3 billion during last year’s second quarter.
The upward movement is largely attributed to an increase in megadeals, with 12 occurring worth a combined $30.8 billion—73% of total deal value—due to larger oil and gas companies divesting more valuable assets. There were just five megadeals during the first quarter. “Over the past 3 months, we continued to see companies looking to realign their portfolios and divest noncore assets, which provided opportunities for acquirers with cash and access to capital,” said Doug Meier, PwC’s US energy sector deals leader...............................................Full Article: Source